“Why, father, there’s the shooting,” Selina exclaimed.  “You’re fond of that, and men will go anywhere for really good shooting, and make their wives go, too.  If you could get a place with plenty of it, and a fox-covert or two on the estate, I’m perfectly certain we should be all right.”

Mr. Bullsom looked still a little doubtful.

“That’s all very well,” he said, “but I don’t want to bribe people into my house with shooting and good cooking, and nursing their blooming foxes.  That ain’t my idea of making friends.”

“It’s only breaking the ice-just at first,” Selina argued.  “Afterwards I’m sure you’d find them friendly enough.”

“I tell you what I shall do,” Mr. Bullsom said, deliberately; “I shall consult the friend I’ve got coming to dinner to-night.”

Selina smiled contemptuously.

“Pshaw!” she exclaimed.  “What do any of them know about such things?”

“You don’t know who it is,” Mr. Bullsom replied, mysteriously.

The girls turned towards him almost simultaneously.

“Is it Mr. Brooks?”

Mr. Bullsom nodded.  Selina flushed with pleasure and tried to look unconscious.

“Only the day before yesterday,” Mr. Bullsom said, “as chairman of the committee, I had the pleasure of forwarding to Brooks a formal invitation to become the parliamentary candidate for the borough.  He writes to me by return to say that he will be here this afternoon, as he wishes to see me personally.”

“I must say he hasn’t lost much time,” Louise remarked, smiling across at Selina.

Mr. Bullsom grunted.

“I don’t see how he could do much less,” he said.  “After all, though every one admits that he’s a clever young chap and uncommonly conscientious, he’s not well known generally, and he hasn’t the position in the town or anywhere which people generally look for in a parliamentary candidate.  I may tell you, girls, and you, mother, that he was selected solely on my unqualified support and my casting vote.”

“I hope,” Mrs. Bullsom said, “that he will be properly grateful.”

“I’m sure it’s very good of you, pa,” Selina declared, affably.  She liked the idea of Brooks owing so much to her father.

“There’s no young man,” Mr. Bullsom said, “whom I like so much or think so much of as Mr. Brooks.  If I’d a son like that I’d be a proud man.  And as we’re here all alone, just the family, as it were, I’ll go on to say this,” Mr. Bullsom continued, his right thumb finding its way to the armhole of his waistcoat.  “I’m going to drop a hint at the first opportunity I get, quite casually, that whichever of you girls gets married first gets a cheque from me for one hundred thousand pounds.”

Even Selina was staggered.  Mrs. Bullsom was positively frightened.

“Mr. Bullsom!” she said.  “Peter, you ain’t got as much as that?  Don’t tell me!”

“I am worth to-day,” Mr. Bullsom said, solemnly, “at least five hundred thousand pounds.”